Clean Your Cabinets … with your vacuum. Use your vacuum’s brush attachment to pick up dust and crumbs inside. Outside, concentrate on the area around the hardware using a cloth dampened with warm water and Murphy Oil Soap. source: Debra Johnson, merrymaids.com
Clean Your Dishwasher … with little effort. Add 1 cup baking soda to the bottom of your empty dishwasher and let it sit overnight. Run the hottest possible cycle using vinegar instead of detergent to clean and deodorize your dishwasher. Remember to remove debris from the filter. Bye-bye, dirt and odors. source: Melissa Maker, cleanmyspace.com
Use Your Dishwasher … to clean light fixtures. Run removable glass pieces, such as domes, through the dishwasher. Run a drying cycle, too, to reduce spotting. source: Amanda Thomas, moxie–girl.com
Use a pillowcase ... to clean a ceiling fan. Slip a pillowcase over ceiling fan blades, one at a time, then wipe. Dust falls into the pillowcase, not on your furniture and floors. source: Leslie Reichert, greencleaningcoach.com
Spot-Clean Fabrics … with baby wipes. Baby wipes are surprisingly effective because they contain very little moisture, have gentle cleaning agents, and dry quickly. Just don’t confuse them with cleaning wipes, which might contain bleach or other harmful chemicals. source: Derek Christian, cleaningbusinesstoday.com
Clean Faster with these four things:
A 50-foot, 16-gauge extension cord lets you plug in your vacuum at a central location so you can clean a whole level without stopping to find another outlet.
A microfiber mop with an extension pole dusts ceilings and walls quickly and easily. When you’re done, just remove the cover and toss it in the wash.
A double-sided squeegee is the best tool for cleaning windows. Dip it in your cleaning solution of choice and work in a tight S-pattern from top to bottom.
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers make short work of soap scum, scuff marks, wayward crayon scribbles, and lots more.
Secret Weapons to add to your shopping list:
ZEP Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser cleans cooking oil from cabinets near the stove. Look for it in the paint section at your home center.
Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser has a combo of mild abrasives and oxalic acid that removes baked-on food, tea and coffee stains, and rust.
I Can See Clearly, Wow! Natural Glass Cleaner is solvent free, so you can clean the window trim, sill, sash, and tray without damaging painted or vinyl surfaces.
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